Treasures
by restive
Summary: Quite often, to get together people need help. In Daryl and Beth's case, a puppy will be their little helper.


**I know I disappeared again and I am so sorry. I'm in law school now, and the workload has been exhausting me so much that I've been using every single minute I can get to catch up on sleep. Until I realised I haven't written anything for too long. Hopefully, you guys enjoy this.**

* * *

Beth bit her nail for what seemed like the twentieth time in the last five minutes as she made another circle around the living room. She couldn't help but feel nervous. And guilty. She also kept checking her phone for any missed calls, but when she saw there were none, she put the phone back into her back pocket.

"Beth, would you calm down?" Maggie rolled her eyes from where she sat on the sofa, tapping away on her laptop (probably Facebook stalking someone) and only looking up every once in a while. "There's no point in stressing so much."

"Easy for you to say," almost snapped back Beth. "You're not the one who lost the Grimes' dog."

The sound of TV somewhere in the background that Hershel was watching annoyed and distracted her, but she was too stressed to say anything about it.

"For the hundredth time, Beth, it's not your fault. That could've happened to anyone."

"She's right, Bethy," Hershel said. "Sam's a very active dog, and Lori often said she was surprised he hadn't gotten lost."

"Until I managed to do it," Beth responded. She sighed deeply and almost fell into the armchair, closing her eyes, expression of exhaustion on her face. A few seconds later, she suddenly opened her eyes again: "Why is no one calling?" she enquired desperately.

"These things take time, Beth," Maggie stated. "Do you seriously expect someone to find the dog so soon? It's been- What? An hour? Since we've put up the notices?"

"If that," Hershel said.

"But Sam is a puppy. He's probably terrified right now," Beth covered her face with her hands, "I can't be trusted with anything."

"Yes you can," Maggie sing-songed in a voice that Beth couldn't argue with, so she decided to just let out an annoyed huff and fold her arms on her chest.

If something happened to Sam, she would never forgive herself. That dog was the loveliest and most precious creature in the world. He always jumped and wagged his tail when he saw Beth. He didn't like leashes and somehow always managed to get out of them. Beth should've known. The Grimes family trusted her with their dog; trusted her enough to ask her to take care of him while they were gone for the weekend. She needed to find Sam soon: mainly, of course, because she was worried something would happen to him, but also because she didn't want to disappoint the Grimes. She kept imagining the faces of Carl and Judith when they found out that their favourite puppy, their friend, has been lost.

"Beth," Maggie said forcefully (probably not for the first time), and Beth's head snapped upwards as she turned her attention to her sister. "Just distract yourself with something. Read a book, watch a YouTube video. Anything."

"I shouldn't be here at all. I should be out there, looking," Beth waved her hand in the direction of a window.

"There's no point," Hershel said. "We've looked everywhere."

"Well, there must be-" Beth didn't get to finish her sentence because her phone ringed. Hershel looked away from the TV and at Beth. Maggie perked up in her spot. Beth clumsily got the phone out and stared at the unknown number.

"Pick up!" Maggie exclaimed when Beth, for some strange reason, seemed to hesitate. Maybe because she's been waiting for a call for so long that when it came, she didn't know how to react.

Having blinked out of her stupor, Beth pressed the green button. "Hello?"

"Beth Greene?" she heard the voice she would always recognise.

"Yes?"

It seemed like the whole world has gone quiet, and Daddy and Maggie froze in their seats, looking at Beth with anticipation.

"It's Daryl Dixon. I found your dog."

Having heard that, Beth couldn't hold back a huge sigh of relief.

* * *

Beth slammed the door of her bedroom just after Maggie made her way in. Maggie knew she better stay quiet right now because Beth rarely got so annoyed that she would just run up the stairs and hide in her room. Maggie couldn't just leave her to it though. She knew that when Beth was feeling this way, she needed to let it all out.

So, Maggie plopped down on Beth's bed and hugged one of the fluffy cushions while Beth forcefully opened one of the drawers in her desk and got out a small treasure box Maggie remembered Beth having since she was little. Beth frantically looked through the things she kept in there until she seemed to have found what she wanted.

"There!" she exclaimed, and Maggie couldn't tell if she was happy or even more annoyed with having found whatever she was looking for. "Found it. Just look at this!" she threw it in Maggie's direction and sat down in her chair, covering her face with her hands.

It was a cramped piece of lined paper that seemed at least a few years old. Maggie evened it out and looked at barely readable handwriting.

Isn't he sooo sweet? it said in what looked like Beth's handwriting from years ago.

He is. I swear he likes you, was someone else's (according to the difference in handwriting) response.

You think? What should I do?

Try talking to him more.

You say it as if it's easy to talk to Daryl Dixon…

At that, the piece of paper ended, and there was no more writing on the other side.

Maggie frowned. "What is this?"

Beth let out a heavy sigh. "Since 8th grade, I've had a crush on him. Even discussed it with Stephanie Young: remember, we used to sit together in most classes?" Maggie nodded in affirmation. "This is just one of the many conversations that we had on paper. And now, he has to be the one to find the dog that I've lost. Of-freaking-course."

Maggie's frown deepened, "What made Stephanie think Daryl liked you? Because from what I know of Daryl Dixon, he's probably the hardest person to read in the world."

Beth rolled her eyes. "It was stupid. He just acted like a gentleman around me. In his own peculiar way."

"Such as…" Maggie encouraged, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, one time I was in line after him to put my tray away after lunch, and just after he put away his, he took mine and put it away for me. When I thanked him, he said that it was nothing since he was standing there anyway," seeing that Maggie wasn't convinced, Beth continued, "And then, one time those bullies from the grade above got some glue on my t-shirt, he let me borrow his shirt."

"I remember that time two years ago, when your science-project-baby-chick escaped, and-"

"He helped me find it!" Beth exclaimed. "See what I mean?"

"Maybe he was just being nice, Beth," Maggie shrugged.

"I never saw – or heard – him do something like that for someone else. But he'd always blush and try to leave as soon as possible when I'd talk to him," Beth stated, but her sister still looked unimpressed, so she added: "Well, I know that I'm seeing what isn't there anyway. By now, I've realised that there isn't anything I can do about my feelings for him, and so I've given up. But why did he have to be the one to find the dog? As if I needed any more embarrassing stories about me that he knows of."

Maggie frowned again. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Who cares what others think? He's a senior and he'll graduate this year anyway. So don't worry. You'll find a good boyfriend and get over him."

"I thought that too," Beth admitted her sister's reasoning. "But what if I don't want to get over him? Even if I know it's pathetic not to."

"There's nothing pathetic about having feelings for someone-"

"Who doesn't have the slightest interest in you," Beth interrupted.

"How do you know that?"

"But you just said…"

"I said that his actions didn't necessarily mean romantic interest, but there could be potential. Daryl must think you're way out of his league, so he would be scared to even presume to like you."

Beth sighed one more time and got out of her seat. She walked across the room and eased herself onto the bed, next to her sister.

"So what do you think I should do?" she asked, genuinely confused. But she knew she could trust Maggie with this. She always seemed so good with relationships and boys in general.

"I think that talking to him is a great idea, but you'll need to do something bigger than that. Daryl Dixon will never make the first move; you have to be the one to do it. And then we'll see what happens."

"You think I should asked him out?" Beth asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Yeah, why not? Use him finding the dog as an excuse, pretend you're grateful."

"And that'll work?" she seemed unsure.

Maggie smiled and hugged her sister. "You can do it, Bethy. Besides, what have you got to lose?"

Beth giggled. "You're right. I'll do it."

* * *

It's been almost two hours since Daryl's call, and when the bell rang, Beth almost ran to the front door, shouting, "I'll get it!", so that Herschel didn't even get the chance to get up from his chair in the kitchen. Maggie chuckled and rolled her eyes at that, returning her attention to the food on her plate.

Herschel signed – he never liked when their family time during dinner was interrupted. "She likes that boy, doesn't she?" he asked rhetorically.

Maggie shrugged, trying to keep her face calm so that she wouldn't give anything away. "Don't know."

"Daryl! Please, come in!" they heard Beth say with blindingly obvious enthusiasm, and in response to that Herschel gave Maggie a smile. They both chuckled.

"Maybe," Maggie admitted.

It was silent in the kitchen, and both Herschel and Maggie could hear Beth's continuous talking, while Daryl seemed to stay quiet. Then there were steps down the corridor, and both of them showed up in the kitchen, Beth hugging Sam to her chest.

"Daryl brought Sam back!" Beth stated, as if no one knew about the find.

"That's great. Thank you so much, Daryl," Maggie smiled at Dixon who was very uncomfortable, constantly looking down and especially seeming to avoid making eye contact with Herschel.

"Ain't nothing," he dismissed with a slight wave of his hand.

"A customer brought Sam in the shop that Daryl works in," Beth added.

"Working weekends?" Herschel asked.

"Yes, sir. Trying to save up some money," Daryl responded sheepishly.

Herschel nodded to that: "Why don't you stay and join us for dinner?"

A smile bloomed on Beth's face when she heard that, but when Daryl quickly looked at her and then turned back to Herschel, she frowned.

"I'm on a break right now, have to go back to work," he explained. "Sorry," he said, quieter, looking at Beth again. To everyone in the room it felt like he was apologising to her personally.

"That's alright," she said and gave him a soft smile. "I'll lock the door after Daryl," she informed her family, who exchanged an amused look at that.

"Sure, Bethy," Herschel said.

Beth walked Daryl back to the front door, and both of them stopped. She bent down and let Sam go, the puppy trotting away with his clutches clicking on the wooden floor.

"Thank you," Beth said again, very quietly, noticing how close both of them were standing. She stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed his cheek, her lips tingling and her heartbeat ringing in her ears. When she pulled away, she saw that Daryl was looking at her in a way that gave her a weird feeling in her stomach. His stare was dark and intense; it was intriguing and pulling. Beth never thought she could like someone so much. She cleared her throat. "You know, we should spend more time together. We could get lunch… whenever you're free," she paused, feeling very nervous. "Maybe tomorrow?"

Daryl was silent for a moment, still looking at Beth like that. That look gave her confidence, and she smiled at him with a big and genuine smile.

"Yeah," he said. "Tomorrow," a smile tugged at his lips at that, and he walked out the door. Beth stood there for a few more minutes, trying not to giggle too loud, even though Maggie and Herschel probably heard anyway.

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 **Thank you for reading and please, review!**


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